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Sunday, February 7, 2010

WHO DAT in the 1920 Census?

Since this is Superbowl Sunday, I thought I'd point out ancestral connections I have to the two teams in the game. I struck out with Indianapolis, since I have zero family history in Indiana. I did find a connection to New Orleans, however.

My great-grandparents, Noel Thibodeaux and Josephine Bourgaux were born in Acadia Parish, Louisiana. They moved around a lot, probably to find work, but Noel's penchant for gambling and the temptation of quick buck may have also played a part.

Here is part of the census page on which my great-grand parents were enumerated. They lived in the 9th ward of New Orleans:

In the household were my great-grandfather, Noel Thibodeaux, his wife Josephine, their son Elmo, and Noel's nephew Clarence McGee. They lived on Bartholomew Street. What this census doesn't show is that there was another baby on the way. They would eventually have seven kids.

Noel and his nephew worked in the ship yards in New Orleans. I imagine many men did at that time.

Noel would also work in the ship yards in San Pedro, California, during the World War II era.

In the 1930 census, Noel and family were living with his in-laws in Acadia Parish, Louisiana. After bouncing back and forth from California and Louisiana, they would eventually stay in California, where they raised their family and are buried today. But for a short time, they were in New Orleans and that's why their featured here on Superbowl Sunday.

[Items cropped from a page of the 1920 US Census Population Schedule. Enumeration district 161, page 19B, image 38 of the New Orleans Ward 9 set. You can see this page and the complete census at ancestry.com.]